Proposed county budget is a mixed bag for sheriff's office

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’ preliminary approval of a county budget for fiscal year 2014, pay — especially for sheriff’s office employees — has been an issue that officials have disagreed on solving.

When the dust settled, and the proposed budget OK’ed, the sheriff’s office saw a gain of nine new patrol vehicles, three new deputy positions, two jailers and a 7 percent pay raise for beginning jailers, who are employed by the office.

Sheriff Ricky Bishop, who promised in the 2012 election campaign to raise employee pay, called the decision “a happy medium.”

Bishop didn’t get everything he asked for — he wanted 10 new patrol cars, and had at one point in budget discussions requested a 3 percent across-the-board raise for employees, which would have cost the county $280,167.

That raise was not approved by commissioners, but all employees will likely receive a budgeted 2 percent cost-of-living raise and a 1.75 percent merit raise, which is customary.

The 7 percent pay bump for beginning jailers will raise their starting annual salaries from $25,300 to about $27,000.

Regarding the three new deputy positions created in the proposed budget, one will be filled by a patrol officer, one will be a warrant officer and one will be an extradition officer. Of the nine new vehicles, three will be Chevrolet Impalas and six will be Tahoes.

Sgt. Craig Griffis, who last month helped to found the Taylor County Sheriff’s Officers Association, was less approving than Bishop of the court’s budget plan.

“I’m really disappointed in the pay,” Griffis said. “It’s a Band-Aid on a large wound.”

Raising employee pay for the sheriff’s office was the impetus for Griffis to found the association, of which he is the president. On Thursday, the association will begin to include in its meetings the group that appeared to come out on top in the proposed budget: the jailers.

Still, Griffis said, he doesn’t want to “look a gift horse in the mouth,” and begrudgingly lauded the court for approving some raises for the office. There’s always next year, he said.

“Even one person (getting a raise) makes me happy. If we have to do it one officer at a time, that’s how we’ll do it,” he said.

Two public hearings and a final vote need to be held before the proposed budget is finalized.